Today is another triple play of letters. In the morning, my grandfather wrote to my grandmother. Later that afternoon, he wrote two more letters to my uncles. It is fascinating to see how different each of the family members were and how my grandfather adapted his writing to their personalities. For example, my uncle Mark is much more interested in trivia about the military vehicles: planes, ships, blimps, etc. Each of these individual letters creates a bigger picture of my family’s war experience. Together, they give a clearer picture of this particular day in my grandfather’s life. In the first letter, he writes to my grandmother that he got a ride to San Francisco to do his shopping. It’s not until we read the letter to my Uncle John that we realize that the “ride” was fairly unconventional. We learned that my grandfather is indeed staying at a military barrack on the outskirts of Moffett Field. Make sure you check out the additional artifacts that were saved in the letter to my Uncle Mark.

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Sat. Morn [August 1]

Dear Mother,

I’m writing from the field. We left the hotel this A.M. at 6:00 in order to get out here in time. I don’t know what we will do tonight.

Everything is in a mess here getting all fixed up etc. I’ll send a money order home sometime later today-got Transportation money but not the usual pay as yet.

Our new address will be or is: Lt (jg) Yegerlehner MC Navy SSA c/o postmaster San Francisco California

It is now about 10:10 AM and we are thru for today but we have to report back tomorrow also. I’ll probably write more again later but just now I don’t seem to be able to function. It is so cold it is almost numbs one after being in a warm climate for so long.

Long Pause-

We got a ride into San Francisco to get some more clothes got some heavy field shoes and some underware

(page 2) and an extra cap. They suggested we have two. This new one I got is a little small but I think I’ll get a Hair Cut in a day or two and it will be OK then.

I’m writing this on the train and we’ll try to get anoth a money order when we get to mountain view and include it in this but if the P.O. is closed I’ll include it in the next,

Got here too Late-

Love

Daddy

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Sat 2100

Dear John,

I’m sitting on a lower bunk way out in a barrack in the outskirts of Moffett Field. We went to San Francisco today to get some shoe socks and other things that we couldn’t get in town here or at the base. We rode into town 35 miles in an ambulance. Once of those kind with the canvass side and they were rolled up and did we nearly

(page 2) Freeze. It was so cold I was numb by the time we got there.

I’m sending you some things I picked up on the trip. Just things for your scrap book. You can keep them if you want if not throw them in the waste paper basket.

I’ll have to write Mark yet so you be a good boy

Love Daddy

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Sat 2115

Dear Mark,

You would have enjoyed seeing a large Blimp circle around the field and head into the hangar. It looked like a hot dog being shoved into the end of a hollowed out bun.

I had to make my own bed tonight. Up until tonight I stayed in a Hotel but we were given blankets and then we had to fix our own bunks.

(page 2) I didn’t have any other sign like I sent John but I have I think I can send you.

The blue ticket came off my baggage and the ticket stub shows what my ticket cost and how much my extra luggage amounted to.

Gee I was put out when I had to pay that much but lots of the boys are afraid they won’t be able to get their trunks so now I’m tickled.

I wrote mother this P.M. and gave her my new address so if you write it will be that. Be a good boy

Love Daddy

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Note: Photograph of the USS Macon was found at the Naval Historical Center website: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/z-types/zrs5-l.htm

© copyrighted & written by Deborah Sweeney